The Role of the State Divisions in National Development: Case Study of Iran

The states division system is the basis of managing a territorial or administrative apparatus by dividing its area into smaller units or lateral administrative jurisdictions. Similarly, the states division system determines the shape of the regional and local governments within the political domains which are the units of development hence; there exists a close relationship between the division of state and national development.

Up till now, the division of Iran has been based on the population density indexes as well as application of inductive method. As such, continuity of this process has played roles in dividing the political units into the smaller units, increasing government employees and their expansion and growth in the public budget expenditure.

The present paper aims to analyze the role of state division in the national development especially during the last decades when the fragmentation of territory led into unstable and inefficient smaller units. As a result, the system of division of present Iranian state is an impediment to the national development. Given this precedence and its basis, the paper also tries to analyze this particular system of division and its consequences. Utmost, the paper presents two methods for amending this system in Iran that includes: 1) Classification of divisions at the levels of counties and townships, and 2) application of deductive method for dividing the state into macro-regions.

The current research is descriptive-analytical in nature which has focused more on survey and documentation with respect to the problems before the Iranian system of the state divisions.

Keywords: State division, national development, hierarchical system, inductive and deductive methods, promotion of state division level.

Introduction

The division of state aims to divide a territorial entity into smaller units in order to make the administration easier so far as its management, security, planning, and development dimensions are concerned (Vadiee, 1975: 199). Further, this process accelerates national unity and integrity, territory security, national convergence, decentralization and divergence of peripheral regions, as well as the process of national development. Likewise, the political division determines the ground for an administrative structure of a country (Richard 1981:211) and constitutes close relationship between the state divisions and the structure of territorial management. In other words, both are correlated. In the political domain, these internal administrative units perform various managerial and organizational affairs related to land and its people including security, sovereignty, civil laws, local and national electoral process, policy and decision makings as well as issues of international and multi-national importance, in accordance to the framework and policies set by the central government [Hafeznia 2002:370]. The divisions of state are precedent on the administrative system of that country and as such, the administrative system is compatible on the geographical location of that territory. In other words, administrative system is the outcome of the divisions of a state. As such, division as a necessary condition and the administrative formation are sufficient conditions for accomplishing the management of a country as well as the fulfillment of national development. In a way, the state division is a hierarchical structure of the administrative system that determines spatial establishment of different administrative apparatus, volume of manpower, distribution of financial resources among different sections, national and cultural interactions and the system of management assigning powers to the lower levels (centralization and decentralization) [Karimipour, 2002:1].

The system of the state division often loses its primary aims if it is not based on the logical or scientific principles or it is exposed to changes with the passages of time and thus; the system would change from a scientific instrument into a political device for achieving the goals of individuals or groups. In such circumstances, the relative stability of political units not only becomes insignificant with unstable administrative boundaries rather it changes into counterproductive for the national development and therefore becomes challenges for the advancement of the country.

In Iran, the system of state divisions goes as far back as 5th Century B.C. when Darius, an Achaemenid ruler divided his territory into 30 units or Satras (same as the country or city) [Badiee, 1983:215]. Following it, Seleucids divided their territory into 12 provinces while Parthian(s) divided the same into 15 provinces or Vali. At a later stage, Sassanid divided their domain into four big provinces or Kost. During the Safavid, the rulers followed pre-Islamic tendency and Iran was divided into four big provinces that included Iraq, Fars, Azerbaijan and Khorasan [Vasoogh, 1998:77]. Political hierarchy of Safavids (i.e. Ayalat, Velayat, Bloc, and Ghasba) to some extent continued during the later dynasties (Afshar, Zand and Qajar) [Min of Education 1987:157]. New system of division in Iran has its roots in the Constitutional Law of 1286 that divided the country into Ayalat, Velyat, Bloc and Deh and consequently the state division law was amended in 1316 and a new hierarchy i.e. Ostan (Province), Shehristan (Township), Bakhsh (County) and Dehistan (Rural district) was presented [Min of Interior 1999:125]. Thus, such a hierarchical system relying on the state division is consisted of the units like Deh, Dehistan, Bakhsh, Shehristan and Ostan. It is a posterior system that lacks cause and effect relationships between the lower and higher levels i.e. it is not necessary that a Shehristan is consisted of a collection of Dehistan or few Blocs form a Shehristan. It is possible that a metropolis may combine a single Shehristan or Ostan (like Tehran) and likewise, an urban point with a particular location constitute a Bakhsh (county) without incorporating a village or other political divisions (like Bandar Imam Khomeini).

Research Plan

The fundamental issue of the current paper is to analyze the role of the state division in the process of national development in the last one century. It particularly investigates the transformation which emerged after the amendment of the State Division Law of 1983 and the competency problem encountered to this system in the territorial arena.

Existing Condition of State Division and its Consequences

Application of inductive method is one of the main reasons which paved the way for the division of the Iranian territory into smaller units and their consequences. In 1983, although a change occurred in the indices forming the levels of state division, and the issues of population, area, and density were propounded as the actual basis for dividing the country into different political units. However, the foundational transformation could not emerged in the previous process and the evolution of the levels of political divisions continued with close contact with the population and hence; population threshold was considered as the main basis of evolution. In the new divisions, the following criterions are taken into account as far as promotion at different levels is concerned:

Minimum population density of Dehistan (Rural District), at three levels.

High density with 8000 people

Average density with 6000 people

Low density with 4000 people

Minimum population of each Bakhsh (County) without accounting urban population and considering the local situation and ecological dispersion.

High density regions with 30,000 people

High density regions with 20,000 people

In the far flung or peripheral regions, a minimum 12,000 people or in some cases even less was anticipated.

Minimumpopulation proposed for the formation of a Shehristan (Township) by taking into account ecological condition.

High density with 120,000 people

Average density with 80,000 people

In the low-population or far flung desert areas, minimum 50,000 or in some cases even less was proposed.

Minimumone millionpopulations were proposed for the formation of an Ostan (Province) [Ghorbani, 1998:10-15].

Further, threshold population as the basis for hierarchical promotion in the state divisions paved the way for smaller units and the political motivations based on logic and science gradually dominated the evolution process. Consequently, detachment of villages and part of the territory and their attachment in order to reach to the threshold populations became the basis of state division. In this situation, officials instead of making efforts to promote the quality and contents of the levels of state division, they lost into the political conflict and deep difference between local population whose territory were detached or attached with other parts. Consequently, a number of levels were formed neither from external pressure nor with the aim of content development that has no suitable possibilities for promotion. As a matter of fact, a region with political, religious and administrative elites was promoted to a higher level by attaching one or more village or a township (with respect to the election promises by candidates to attract voters is the existing situation governing on the system of state division). In case of the current division process, following results can be found:

1. Increase in State Division Levels

In the last 68 years (1937-2005), levels of state division have seen enormous growth with 300% for provinces and 685% for townships. Like wise, during the last 39 years (1964-2005), counties and rural districts also grew with 231% and 157%, respectively. In some regions, the levels are too small to manage properly. Table 1 indicates the decreasing extent of counties (Bakhsh) and their reliance on townships and provinces.

Table1: Changes of state division levels in Iran (1937 –2008)

Serial

Year

Province

Gubernatorial

Township

County

Rural district

1

1937

10

–

49

–

–

2

1966

13

8

145

454

1521

3

1971

14

9

151

459

1543

4

2002

28

–

302

810

2035

5

2008

30

336

887

2398

Source :( Nabavi, 1974: 11&165 and www.sci.ir)

Graph 1: Changes of State Division Levels in Iran (1937 –2005)

Graph 2: Process of Establishment of Provinces (1937-2005)

2. Increase of Government Employees

The structure of the government is based on the political divisions. Since, promotion of the levels of state division leads to the evolution of government organizations, these organizations, too, utilize their strengths and potentials to evolve to the higher levels. By this way, manpower in the government organizations is augmented with the division of the territory into smaller units. It is worth to mention that the emergence of new offices alongside of different ministries during the post-Islamic Revolution era caused the number of employees to grow. As such, their number increased from 300,000 in 1965 to 662,700 in 1976, and 2360320 in 1997 to 2328635 in 2001. Table 2 shows the growth pattern of the government employees during the course of 35 years.

Table 3 and its related graph indicate the growth pattern of the government budget during 1991 and 2005. As shown, the public budget has had tremendous growth where part of it was affected by the increasing levels of state division and consequently it affects the organizational structure and the number of staff.

Table 3: Growth Pattern of Government Budget (1991-2005)

% of Public Budget

Public Budget

Total Budget

Budget

Serial

46.16

9278.5

20097.3

1991

1

44.53

61123.8

137242.6

1996

2

39.30

90585.9

230440.3

1998

3

39.71

109699.5

276210.2

1999

4

35.43

127816.2

360668.1

2000

5

36.02

164266.9

455978.2

2001

6

39.40

273228

693302.2

2002

7

03.45

436022,8

968261.1

2003

8

35.83

1,569837

8158998.9

2005

9

Source: Planning and Management Organization, 2001

4. Demands for New State Divisions

In case, a new method does not substitute the existing system of state division and demands of national, regional and local officials for the evolution and formation of new levels continued, the process of territorial divisions into smaller and non-efficient units will be increased. Considering the growing number of provinces as well as future prediction, it seems the number would be increased to minimum 40% at least till 1932. With the current process, the internal and local efforts for the development and promotion changed into external efforts that put more pressure on public resources of the government and local officials look at the resources that are distributed by the government.

Graph 3: Anticipated Time Series of Provinces, Township and Counties

5- Theoretical approach based and patterns on spatial divisions of (political) and its relationship with national development

What development and its relationship with landis clear is talk divisions, although the precedent is several thousand years (into the country by the Achaemenid king Darius the four states and even the divisions of the Constitutional better to run the country), but related divisions with national development planning in the form of spatial (user land) has be more. The topic of 1950, the countries of traditional security thinking and thinking towards the administrative divisions Political divisions of spatial development (land) for better administration and to accelerate economic growth and development strategy in the form of capacity and efficiency advantages regional, or advantage creation and balanced regional development is guided. Therefore, political divisions and regional planning linked to the land user and is non-separable. Patterns in user land implementation in many countries (France, Germany, UK, USA, and …) deep reason the link between users and Administrative divisions of land is appropriate.

Iran started the decade 1961 Regional Planning starting in the Third Development Plan 1962 to 1967 began in the fourth year program to 1967 to 1982 was more rapidly and the country by the ministries and Consulting Unit region was divided into that a kind of spatial divisions to develop the country.

After the Islamic revolution of 1983 divided the land discussions homogeneous geographic unit in the form of land use experience in the second round began with a basic design studies. In 1984, the General Board of Studies in land preparation to government approval. Studies in 1986 entitled “basic theoretical framework developed in provinces” in different parts of the logistics perspective land is released. Outline of the same year strategy space organized by “the Office of Regional Planning” developed in the first development program of Iran (1993-1989) was included. Arranging the plan in 1989 by the National Department of Housing and Urban Development, in 1992 during the Supreme Council approved administrative duties to the plan of land use and Planning Organization and duty assigned to prepare national plans Arranging the Department of Housing and Urban Development be assigned. Conclusion In 2000, land preparation studies were presented to the Board that the government thought necessary to the enjoyment of the landscape. Also, in the history of 2004, the land preparation of national regulations was approved by the Council of Ministers. With the rules is that Article 15 and 33 paragraph one, it consists of Article 10, all provincial councils set program to the public in order to realize the land is user polls. Thus all the steps in the past 30 years in the form of spatial planning carried out to represent a kind of land divisions in the process of integrated national approach is preparatory. Therefore, land divisions and related national development are quite clear. Why look at the land, removing regional imbalances, balance of regional distribution of population and activity in appropriate national perspective is the main national development.

6. Change of Strip-Shear Divisions into Deep-Shear

Creation of political units with strip-shear at the peripheral regions (Bushehr, West Azerbaijan, Gilan, Mazandaran, Hormozgan, Khorasan provinces) is another defect of the present method. Absence of the application of deep-shear division method has led to sluggish communications between the main and peripheral regions. As a result, ground is prepared to keep the peripheral regions isolated geographically due to lack of capital flow, manpower, and goods from mainland and hence; created imbalance of development between the mainland provinces and marginal regions. People in such an area lacked not only possibilities rather they are in the state of poverty and deprivation and cannot claim to have relation with the larger society (Haget, 1996:461). The strip-shear has changed the distance of mainland financial and administrative centers, insecurity of international peripheral zones from an opportunity to the threat. Establishing inter-regional balance at the national space as well as emitting developmental waves from the center to peripheral regions and benefiting from advantages of the marginalized international borders, protection and strength of national unity and integrity require a review of state division system from strip-shear to a deep-shear one, in order to protect powerful mainland provinces from the peripheral regions (For example, accessibility of Fars province to the Persian Gulf waters through the peripheral regions of Bushehr or access of Kerman province to the Persian Gulf and Oman Sea, or protection of Khuzestan from the border provinces of Elam and Lorestan ,etc.).

Fig 1: Map Showing Strip-Shear of State Divisions of Iran

7. State Division and Structure of Administrative Organization (Management)

As mentioned before, there is a close relationship between the state division and administrative organization. Administrative organizations vary in each country with respect to its socio-cultural setting and the type of government [Ahmadi & Ahmadipour 2003:?] As such, if the hierarchy of state divisions is high or inclined to flat, the administrative formations imitate the same, as well. This situation has close connection with the degree of centralization and decentralization. With regard to the hierarchy, the Iranian state division is pyramidal (Fig. 2) that shows differences while comparing with the state divisions of some other countries. For instance, the United States, Kyrgyzstan and Indonesia have four-level divisions while China has three levels only.

The higher structures make not only the process of information slow rather they augment the need of facilities, resources, and manpower, make the administrative bureaucracy more complex, give rise to resources waste and high charges (especially current expenditure, compare to the development) that subsequently would lead to backwardness. Therefore, large number of countries (such as China, France, Turkey, Philippines) direct the state divisions into descending orders to restrict the expansion of government apparatus as well as limit sluggishness of the development process [Rahnama 2001:54]. The territorial developments possess a triangular i.e. political division, administrative structure and ratio of jurisdiction [Rezaeian 2001:150-57], which have close relations with each other.

The need to decrease the hierarchy of state especially at rural district level is due to inefficiency of these regions in executing and benefiting from it as political units for collecting data and information. As a matter of fact, it is costly enough to equip 2000 such regions with manpower, financial resources and the possibility to protect specialists at this level, too, has encountered serious impediments (A research conducted on 2281 rural gubernatorial offices in 2000 indicates that 46.3% were active, 49.1% in-active while 4.6% are uncertain. Similarly, 42% of the rural gubernatorial offices are settled in county’s governor’s offices and only 9.18% of them have automobiles, 26.8% have motorcycles and the rest lacks vehicle) [Min of Interior 2001:70-76]. Therefore, the purpose of omitting such a level and adding the new level called ‘metropolises’ is another issue that makes the amendment of state division system necessary. The amendment in political divisions would certainly bring changes in the organizational structures as well as their jurisdictions and obligations.

8. Population Growth of Iran (1921-2006) and Anticipated Population by 2021

During the last 75 years, Iranian population has grown tremendously to 2.45%. While the ratio of urbanization in the same period increased from 28% to 61.2%, the rural population gradually decreased from 72% to 38.24%. The population, as such, increased from 9707000 with 6% density in 1921 to 60055488 with 36.4% density in 1996. Based on assumptions, 2% growth has been predicted and therefore, it seems the population will grow to about 98527393 by 2021 [Rahnama 2001:33-35].

The population growth predictions on the three following assumptions in the next 20 years would increase the level of density and thus the divisions would be obligatory. It means a number of townships would be transformed into provinces and counties into townships and so on so forth. Therefore, in order to guide the density levels, new pattern is presented for such divisions.

Serial

Assumptions

Number of population

1

2.45%

109989677

2

2%

98527393

3

1.5%

87137231

9. Indices Determining Density of State Division Levels

The analysis of a sample study on rural population (500 counties) shows that 11106, 77003, and 739 were average, maximum and minimum population, respectively. About 45% of the rural districts have a population over 8000 [Min of Interior 2001:54]. Naturally, this trend would lead 50% of the rural districts to transform to the higher levels (counties) with respect to their potentials. Meanwhile, an amendment in the state divisions at the levels of counties, townships and districts seems necessary in order to prevent political conflicts concerning the promotion.

Discussion

The analysis of the state division through inductive (inference) method shows that the indices for the territorial divisions into smaller units (low, average, and high population density indexes), adjustment of the political boundaries on some of the natural complications (climate and heights), structure of the service management (distribution of oil incomes in the form of budget among the political units with respect to the administrative position and levels instead of regional capacities and potentials) and the radial division pattern (division of the country into territorial units in a circular form) have provided natural insatiable ground at the local level for promoting and dividing the territory. It means, first of all, promotion takes place i.e. the county is changed into township or a township into a province- then, the facilities and services are provided to those political units. As such, facilities and services must be improved with regard to efforts of the officials, materialization of the centralized potentials and the contents of the political units so that the possibility to promote the vertical level is provided. In such a case, focus will be changed from the political conflicts on separating and combining territories in order to achieve the necessary population density. The existing state division system lacks such particularity and hence; dividing the levels further into pieces lead to the expansion of administrative apparatus, increase of manpower and the loss of budget as well as sluggishness in development process. Here, two solutions are presented to organize the state division:

1. Executing classification at county and township levels and omitting the rural district in order to decrease the administrative hierarchy.

Based on different indices of county and township levels, they are graded between 5 to 6 degrees. At first, the promotion of intra-group instead of outer group takes place. Likewise, promotion of the intra-group levels would not be accomplished until those units reach to the level of development. It is not merely a single population index but other socio-economic, natural, security, and sub-structure would be taken into consideration (proposed plan anticipate 9 main indices, 28 subsection and about 160 other indices) [Min of Interior 2001:111-12]. Specialty of this method is its reliance upon the aims of interior ministry followed with safeguarding whole national interest like strengthening national unity and financial security, applying sovereignty, speeding the process of development, facilitating legal applications and requirement and structure of administrative system. Based on this, omitting a rural district from the lowest level and strengthening a county and a township and their grading along with territorial division to different political regions in a way that at last provinces are omitted and zones are substituted. By this way, 9 main index groups, 28 subsections and about 218 other indices were selected as the ultimate indices and the related questionnaires were prepared. From each of 27 Iranian provinces, one township was selected as study sample and then the final study began by selecting counties from each township. In other words, 96 counties and 27 townships were selected as research samples and the acquired results from data were classified as follows:

Calculation of the credits for counties: The average credit of the proposed 96 counties was equal to 180.76, with maximum i.e. 425.43 credits are related to Saroabad county of Marivan township in Kordestan province and the minimum 65.7 credit to Hormuz county of Qeshm township in Hormuzgan province.

Calculation of the credits for townships: Based on the results obtained at this stage of the research, 27 townships were classified (in accordance with the credits from the counties). Average credit of township was equal to 825.9 while the maximum 2552.5 credits were related to Karaj, the minimum credit of about 221.2 was of Gunaveh township in Bushehr. A total 88.9% township has the credit up to 2000. If minimum 5000 credits are taken into consideration for promoting township to a province, none of the townships would be able to achieve the promotion in the present circumstances. With due attention to the average credit of the counties, at least five township must be compounded with each other to obtain the points necessary for promoting into the level of a province.

Administrative divisions promote levels

On the basis of the results acquired from the above classification, counties and townships are promoted by the following ways. Table 4 and 5 show the classification of counties and townships on the basis of the credits acquired during study.

Table4: Credit Grades of Proposed Counties

Serial

Classification Limit (Credit)

County Grade

1

100-250

1

2

250-400

2

3

400 above

3

All counties with less than 100 credits fall under the grade 3

Table5: Grading of the Proposed Townships

Serial

Grade Limit (Credit)

Township Grade

1

500-1500

4

2

1500-2500

3

3

2500-3500

2

3500 and above

1

All townships with less than 500 credits fall under the grade 4

2. Executing classification for dividing the territory into macro-political units.

The inductive method that forms a county by combining rural districts, a township by combining counties and a province by combining few townships, in reality, lacks logical cause and effect relationship and causes problems to the existing system of division hence; the deductive (inference) method would be applied. In this method, the division of the country is firmed on the largest units, acceptance of the largest geographical units (natural and human) and their varied facets. Each places, in terms of its internal homogeneity, come across with diverse characteristics and conditions of other places i.e. they are impressionable and effective. Resultantly, places possess combination of the natural and human system [Shokooi 1999:276] and emerge in the form of the big spatial units. In such circumstances, big environmental units in particular geographical setting [Dolfous 1994:38] form a collection attached to joint phenomenon that would make the growth and development possible with regard to relation with other elements of that spatial unit. Distinguishing big natural and humane units and determining their limits in the whole country, a kind of classification takes place that would be named as ‘Motherly Classification’ (zonal), which has three special features:

Motherly classification can be a pillar and a base for state division. It puts each of the big natural unit, equal to a big political unit of the country.

As motherly classification takes place on the basis of a natural or humane unit or region, it could the basis of all kinds of regional planning or management.

In this classification, each unit (units that are not same with respect to their extent) has capability and possibility to be divided into smaller units.

In the classification of deductive (inference) method, each macro-region is divided into several micro-regions and likewise, each micro-region into few wards and then each ward into few sections i.e. a movement from the whole to the part. The hierarchical system between different levels, to some extent, would explain the eminent relationships. Here, village (deh) is not the base unit of the state division. Deh, neighborhood, city and metropolis have been spotty elements which define ‘macro-region’, ‘region’, and ‘zone’ at the state division levels (Fig 2). Application of deductive (inferential) method, in comparison to inductive one, enjoy lower levels of divisions and hence; would not be chaotic while governing on inductive method (opposite elements of village, city, metropolis, ward, township, province etc).

Fig 2: Deductive Method in State Divisions

In the deductive method, the country is divided into several macro-regions on the basis of its security, social, economic, development, and natural indices [Min of Interior 2001: 164-5]. The two patterns that could emerge out of it are: 1) formation of a region by combining several provinces as well as without omitting the peripheral areas of provinces; 2) formation of a region by combining several provinces and omitting the periphery of provinces. In each of the cases, a new management known as regional management and a new structure with more powers came into being that is accompanied with a kind of political and administrative decentralization. Based on the regional classification methods and patterns that were applied for the stratification of the country with the help of organizations (Betl, Setiran Consulting Engineers, national anatomical plan, comprehensive plan etc), the country has been divided into 8 to 12 regions with different management system and centers.

Indices compared

Pattern

Row

Political – Social effects

Position of macro management area

Centrality

1. Create political tensions and higher management level to the province because the province removed the existing;
2. Create political tension due to the loss of local political centrality;
3. Competition between the provinces in order to seize the regional centrality;
4. Metamorphic relations in terms of performance levels of administrative divisions, political, economic and social;
5. Create crisis between the following cultural areas.

1. New standard (regional manager) Deputy Minister of Interior;2. Governorship position and promote significant part based on rate;3. Increased powers of deputy director of the region;4. Increasing powers of governors and former governors, the Governorship of higher degree.

1. Lack of centrality: centrality in Tehran and rotary region;2. With centrality: – The main town area; – A point or city with the least impartial than other focal distance and facilities.

First model:Remove existing border province and several provinces and the establishment of integrated new province

1

1. Reduce political tensions in the region due to the higher management level of the existing governing structure removed;
2. Mild to political competition between the provinces because of the region deleted for the province seize political centrality region;
3. Political peace in the region due to the Minister to maintain functional areas at all levels of civil divisions formed before;
4. High flexibility and possible.

1. New standard (regional manager) Deputy Minister of Interior;2. Increase a system-level administrative divisions and the existing structure;3. Little change in the existing administrative system (province significantly, governors and the county seat);4. Rating Governorship and significant part based on the points;5. Establishing a balance between population and vast areas;6. Law reform and ratification of national divisions.

1. No centrality:
– Centrality in Tehran;– Management rotary in the region.2. With centrality:
– The main city area;– A point with the lowest urban impartial and focal compared to other facilities.

Second model:
Combining several existing provinces formed a new province (region) without delete the existing border provinces

Contribute a better translation

2

1. Continue the process of being chopped to smaller units;
2. More outlying provinces centrifuge process;
3. Taking advantage of the lack of advantages of the coastal provinces and international borders;4. Expanding governmental organizations (staff, facilities, etc.);
5. Current government budget increased more than other budgets;
6. Administrative divisions of conformity system tasks executive agencies (regional classification methods by using other devices)

1. Significant opportunity to improve position of Deputy State Minister of Interior;2. Governorship position and promote prefect ranked based system;3. Maintain levels of vertical hierarchy structure of the country and administrative divisions;4. Reduce the importance of provincial administration due to continued weight loss and population fragmentation to national divisions.

1. Not to change the existing provinces centrality;
2. Increase in provincial capitals in the future;
3. Administrative divisions increased levels (province, city and section) in the future.

In case, the current system of state division continues, apart from fragmentation, inefficiency of the territory with smaller political units, increasing hierarchical levels, expansion of administrative organs, growth of government employees, consumption of principal part of government incomes, it would encounter other serious challenges at the micro cultural realm, as well. Further, imbalance and gap between the central and peripheral regions would increase and encounter the country with problems of security, national unity and territorial integrity.

Faced with these problems we propose the need of an amendment to the system of political division, durable assumptions, stable borders, and metabolic and dynamic internal contents of the state divisions. After improving the development indices, promotion of the level of state division levels must be accomplished by local efforts.

In the grading procedure, first of all, promotion of the levels would take place with the efforts of local authorities after achieving powers and accessibility to the level of development. In the classification method, which is deductive, performance of zoning in order to divide the territory into macro-political units would take place by considering the natural and humane variables.

16-Ahmadi, Seyed Abbas; Ahmadipour, Zahra (2002), ‘Role of State Division in Regional Development’ Collection of Article from the Conference on Policies and Management Planning of Growth and Development in Iran, Center for Higher Studies, Research, and Planning, Tehran. P.?